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Sunday, March 2, 2008

Restaurant News: The Growth of Quick Casual Dining

Okay, so where do you eat lunch? Do you grab a couple burgers from Burger King? Do you stop for an hour or so and get a good meal at Applebee's? Or do you prefer, to have a little of both? Quick casual dining is different. Places such as Panera or Qdoba have implemented this idea to success. The customer orders at the counter and picks the food up at the counter, but instead of dining on pre-made food like at BK or Mickey D's, they meal is prepared to order.

Can we really consider this segment a new prospect, or is the growth due to a consientious shift in consumer thinking? In my opinion, it's unlikely that a clear difference can be seen between these restaurants and an quick-service experience like the one delivered from Taco Bell. Throughout the industry, food preparation is similar.

For more information on quick service dining, check out this article from Calkins Media.Quick Service Dining